Tony and I met in a chat room that was designed by the late president of COPD-Support, Inc., Bill Powell. The room was set up for those of us with COPD and their caregivers could have a place to share, make friends, and just "let their hair down". A place to get away from the rigors and stress associated with living with a chronic disease. It was here, I met some of my most loving friends.

The "class clown" in our chats (which every chat room has) was this extraordinarilly funny, Texan, by the name of Tony. He had and still has a way of taking a stressful situation and making it look like the least of your concerns. He could relate with the stresses associated with pulmonary disease, as he had been on a double transplant list for about a year at that time. I laughed at his wit and humor. It was then that God placed a huge burden upon me to pray for his transplant to come soon. The chat room visitors needed him, the world needed him, and I needed him more than I knew at the time.

Life can be like a roller coaster for one that lives with a chronic disease. Physically, you are up and down on any given day and the same goes for the emotions experienced. I know, I have had many rides on that roller coaster. This is how Tony and I became friends, soulmates, and most importantly, discovered we we were siblings in Christ.

Depression is an emotion that many, if not all, experience from time to time, and in various degrees. One night, I felt I had taken all I could bear. Suicide, I felt, was an end to this dispair. I made all of my preparations and was ready but wanted to say goodbye to a few of my closest friends. I wrote a quick email to them. What I did not know was Tony was up late and opened the email before I had a chance to log off that last time. Tony promptly, sent me an instant message DEMANDING to know what was going on.

I cannot recall the precise words spoken in our instant message but by the time we had finished, I knew Tony and I were soulmates for eternity. He had just saved my life!

Tony has since shared with me that he never experienced anything like that before and that night, he was scared but felt led by God to intervene. Praise be to God, that Tony was sensitive to the Holy Spirit and heeded His calling on my behalf.

From that night on, Tony and I have become prayer partners and prayer warriors for others on the COPD-Support list, have met each other in person, and most importantly, God has since rewarded Tony with a new lung.

The love we share for our Lord and Savior, Jesus, has formed a bond that can never be broken.

I love you, Tony. Thank you for believing in me. ~~~~ Jan (Z)